Page 25

25 North Carolina

a) was lost in the mail or damaged by the vendor prior to receipt by the Work First household, b) is being replaced due to a name change on card, c) was lost due to a natural disaster such as a fire, flood, tornado or hurricane d) was damaged by a retailer or vendor. Fees associated with the use of the EBT card will be deducted from the balance of the card based on the available benefits in the account. If the recipient is receiving FNS benefits and Work First, the $2.50 card replacement fee will be deducted from the FNS allotment first. If there are not sufficient funds in the FNS EBT account or the recipient does not receive FNS, the replacement card fee will be deducted from the program account with funds available to cover the fee. If there are not sufficient funds in any single account, the EBT system will issue the card and deduct the funds at the next benefit issuance. Federal law prohibits Work First recipients from using EBT cards “in any liquor store, any casino or gambling establishment, or retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for establishment.” Recipients’ Work First Cash Assistance payments may be terminated if used at restricted locations. ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (EBT) MONITORING

In February 2019, The Division partnered with Fidelity Information Services (FIS) and implemented a Fraud Navigator Alert Detail Report that includes a Merchant Category Code (MCC) blocking that intercepts EBT transactions attempted at risky locations, which are identified by their MCCs.

FIS is currently blocking EBT transactions from any restricted locations: casinos, gambling casinos or gaming establishments, or any retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment.

The Division submits an annual EBT Monitoring Report to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) providing results from the Fraud Navigator Alert Detail Report.

SANCTIONS

Work First participants may be sanctioned for non-compliance with program requirements. There are four types of sanctions that are imposed when participants fail to comply with program requirements:

1. Non-cooperation with Child Support Services

When a parent or other adult caretaker fails, without good cause, to cooperate with Child Support Services, the entire family could be ineligible for a Work First Cash Assistance payment. When Child Support Services notifies the case manager that a member of the WFCA unit has not cooperated without good cause, the case manager must issue a DSS-8146A requesting the participant to